THE JOB by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

November 23, 2014

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Fox and O’Hare Series, Book 3

If you weren’t sure that Evanovich could go darker, this book should resolve that issue. This is the darkest book so far in the series, but it speaks more to the level of suspense than actual violence or gore.

Kate O’Hare is an F.B.I. agent who is working off the books, so to speak, with Nick Fox, international con artist and thief. She caught the “Fox” and he escaped jail by agreeing to use his con artistry to help her bring down bigger and badder criminals. Case in point, drug pin Menendez, who had his face altered via plastic surgery, then killed the surgeon & the surgical team, so no one alive knows what he looks like or where he is.

Fox figures out a way to smoke him out, which involves conning him with a treasure map. Fox and O’Hare get their team together to convincingly portray an underwater find that is just the bait to trap this dangerous man and his killer security agent/girlfriend.

The violence is hinted at rather graphically, but that just ups the suspense making this a real page turner. But no worries, there is still quite a bit of humor and of course, the sexual tension between Fox and O’Hare adds another layer of fun to this read. Another excellent addition to the series, which has become one of my favorites.

11/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE JOB by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg.Bantam (November 18, 2014). ISBN 978-0345543127. 304p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE ANDY COHEN DIARIES by Andy Cohen

November 22, 2014

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A Deep Look at a Shallow Year

Narrated by Andy Cohen

In case you missed my review of Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture, I  love Andy Cohen. I am a Bravo junkie and never miss an episode of Top Chef (in all its incantations,) the The Real Housewives of New Jersey (and occasionally other Housewives) and Watch What Happens Live, hosted by Andy Cohen.

I knew after reading his first book and then listening to it that I had to listen to the new one – Andy reads it himself, which really does add a whole new dimension. I love his little asides to us listeners, especially the part of the book where he discusses how he spent the afternoon recording the audiobook and how much he hated doing it, which he called “meta meta” for us listeners.

Andy was completely enthralled with The Andy Warhol Diaries, and this book is an homage to that one. He mentions another possible title, “Namedropping,” which certainly would have been appropriate as well. Andy kept a journal for 2013, and kept track of everyone he ran into, dined with (and where), topics discussed, guests on his show, shows where he was the guest, parties attended,  events that he emceed, and so forth. The names flow like water, from the aforementioned New Jersey Housewives, his oldest and dearest friends (see Most Talkative) and of course, the real celebrities: Oprah, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Lady GaGa, Beyoncé, as well as the celebrities he calls friends: Anderson Cooper, Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos, and Sarah Jessica Parker (affectionately called “SJP” or even “SJ” throughout the book) and her hubby Matthew Broderick, the late great Joan Rivers and tons more.

Cohen obsesses with his weight, his workouts, his friends, and gossip, and his self deprecating sense of humor is always at the forefront. But the star of the book, besides Andy himself, is his dog Wacha, who as of 11/21/14 has over 200 pictures and 93,000 followers on Instagram, and Wacha is often the subject of his daily journal. Andy discusses how and why he came to adopt a dog, the vet he sees at the “Barbara Walters Animal Hospital” and the famous people who love Wacha and do Instagram photo shoots with him, like John Mayer. Wacha has become the love of his life and the antidote to loneliness. Andy dates a lot, mostly younger men, and claims he wants a husband (and his mother reminds him to find a husband) but no one promising is on the horizon yet.

One of the things I like best about listening to the book (besides the fact it entertained me on my long flights from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles and back again) was that I could share it. My husband listened to whatever part I was up to while driving around L.A., and my daughter listened to some while driving around Boca, and everyone laughed and enjoyed the bits they heard. Very few books work that way.

The best memoirs are entertaining, informative and ring true, and once again Cohen meets all those criteria plus he is laugh out loud funny.  If you are the least bit obsessed with pop culture, celebrities and/or television, you do not want to miss this book.

11/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ANDY COHEN DIARIES by Andy Cohen. Henry Holt and Co.; First Edition edition (November 11, 2014). ISBN 978-1627792288. 352p.

Audible Audio Edition: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (November 11, 2014). ISBN: 978-1427259318. Listening Length: 13 hours and 30 minutes.

 

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DEADLINE by John Sandford

November 21, 2014

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It starts with a middle of the night call to Virgil Flowers from his friend and fishing buddy Johnson Johnson. Johnson’s father liked outboard motors so he named his kids Johnson, Mercury and Evinrude. Johnson’s calling about someone stealing dogs.

Virgil agrees to come take a look and soon finds himself involved in a murder, a major meth lab operation and a school board gone rogue stealing millions of taxpayer dollars. Soon the murder count has doubled, the meth lab has been shut down, some of the dogs have been rescued and Virgil is zeroing in on the school board.

As usual, a great outing from John Sandford.

 

 

11/14 Jack Quick

DEADLINE by John Sandford. Putnam Adult; First Edition first Printing edition (October 7, 2014). ISBN 978-0399162374. 400p.

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COSMOSIS by Rainer Rey

November 20, 2014

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Jace Kelton and Madison Marro meet while investigating the deaths of their respective fathers. Their parents were on a search for an unlimited supply of alternative fuels to replace the now dwindling supply of fossil fuels.

The search touches on mysteries of ancient peoples; the pyramids of Egypt, Easter Island, and the Bermuda Triangle. They are pursued by a force of Chinese warriors who have heard about the possibility of an alternative fuel and want it for their country.

Maddy and Jace in their search stumble upon a mysterious Interstellar force that probably placed the alternative energy source long ago and left it for humankind when they have reached a certain evolutionary stage. They also find a love between them that helps them to overcome the obstacles in their path to getting the source.

A fast moving novel, well done with a more than interesting thesis to keep the reader constantly involved in the action. A followup book is a possibility with further action in bringing the alternative power source to market.

11/14 Paul Lane

COSMOSIS by Rainer Rey. Turner (November 11, 2014). ISBN: 978-1620459928. 348p.

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ANGELINA’S BACHELORS by Brian O’Reilly

November 20, 2014

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A Novel of Food

Narrated by Xe Sands

This is a sweet, old fashioned tale – so old fashioned, I’m really not sure when it is supposed to take place. Could be the 1950’s-60s, but sometimes feels more modern and then with a jolt, no cell phones, back to another era. I guess the author,  the Executive Producer of Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible, was going for timeless, and perhaps it was achieved.

I listened to the audio book, so had a different experience from the printed version. For one thing, there are no recipes in the audio, just a note at the end to check out the website for recipes. Some of the print reviews made note of the fact that recipes were interspersed throughout the chapters, in the midst of story, which some felt were jarring, but the audio book avoided that issue.

So this novel of food is exactly that – if you don’t want to read lavish descriptions of meals on a regular basis, then this is not the book for you. I love that stuff, so it worked for me.

Angelina is a young woman whose husband dies suddenly in her kitchen. The young widow quickly loses her job and when a neighbor comes knocking on her door, offering to pay her to cook him breakfast and dinner six days a week, she decides that food may be her salvation, in more ways than one. Soon other men come knocking, and almost immediately Angelina’s dining room table is full of bachelors looking for a good meal.

The men quickly become a family of sorts, with Angelina the glue that binds them together. When she finds out she’s pregnant some months after her husband’s passing, the bachelors all rally around and support her.

If it hasn’t slapped you in the face yet, the message here is that when one door closes, another opens and Angelina steps through into a good life, despite her tragedy. And despite her tragedy, this is a light hearted read, interspersed with humor and love. It is a lovely read, and a memorable one.

11/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ANGELINA’S BACHELORS by Brian O’Reilly. Tantor Audio (December 30, 2011). ASIN: B006RCYUFQ. Listening Length: 7 hours and 22 minutes.

Paperback: Gallery Books; Reprint edition (August 9, 2011). ISBN 978-1451620566. 384p.

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WANT YOU DEAD by Peter James

November 18, 2014

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Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, Book 10

In this tenth entry into the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, Grace is preparing for his wedding to Cleo. His long missing wife, Sandy, has been declared dead, but is she?

That is but a minor footnote to this story, which centers on Red Westwood, a young woman being stalked by her ex, Bryce Laurent, a brilliant psychopath, who blames her parents and the police for their break up. Everything was fine until her mother hired a private detective and found out that Laurent had lied about pretty much everything in his past.

Laurent has some serious skills, including pyrotechnics, bomb building, close up magic, and high tech skills beyond that of the police. Red, a realtor, knowing she’s being stalked, refuses to move, fudges her whereabouts when making appointments to show properties to strangers, and in general is just too stupid to live.

Nevertheless, she gets through her days while Laurent plans her demise, frightening her on a regular basis and not caring how many die as he destroys everything and everyone she holds dear.  Short chapters help make the pages fly, and the suspense builds strongly until the expected ending.

Copyright ©2014 Booklist, a division of the American Library Association.

11/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WANT YOU DEAD by Peter James. Minotaur Books (November 18, 2014). ISBN 978-1250030207. 416p.

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THE CARNAGE ACCOUNT by Ben Lieberman

November 17, 2014

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Books are often described by zealous reviewers as absorbing, fascinating, captivating and other adjectives indicating that it cannot be put down once the reader gets into it. The Carnage Account fills that bill 110%. Once you start to read it it is almost impossible to put down.

Lieberman utilizes three main characters to tell the story. The first is a multi billionaire; Rory Cage, a man that has everything but wants more. He finds a new niche in selling “death bonds” which allow investors to purchase insurance policies from the living at a discount and than collect the full value when they die. Rory decides to accelerate the collection on some high value policies by the simple expedient of murdering the person named on the document.

The second person is a lady named Dawn Knight who is doing public relations for Rory’s various companies which include an NBA basketball team and a huge highly successful Hedge Fund. Rory falls in love with Dawn and imagines her as the capstone to his possessions, sharing his kingdom with him.

Problem for Rory is that Dawn is still in love with Clay Harbor, the man she wanted to marry years ago, but was stopped by the displeasure of her father at the union. Clay, the third person, left town, became a Navy Seal, and then a doctor. He returned to town due to circumstances incurred during a battle in Afghanistan in which his specialized unit had to defend a poppy field. His rescue of a comrade trapped by enemy fire and wounded in the poppy field against orders gets Clay sent back to the states to care for the man.

In high gear Lieberman carries us through attempts by Rory to get rid of Clay in order to marry Dawn. Events putting Dawn and Clay in danger are described in fascinating detail and the finale of the book brings a very logical ending which hints, merely hints at a sequel. Very well done and certainly underscoring Ben Lieberman’s talent and creating interest in reading other novels by him.

11/14 Paul Lane

THE CARNAGE ACCOUNT by Ben Lieberman. Thomas & Mercer (October 28, 2014). ISBN: 978-1477825877. 336p.

3 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

CHRISTMAS AT TIFFANY’S by Karen Swan

November 15, 2014

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When Cassie discovers that her husband has been having an affair, she’s crushed. She’s been betrayed in the worst way and her marriage is over. But after ten years as a wife and homemaker, Cassie isn’t sure what to do next. Enter Cassie’s three best friends.

Kelly in New York, Anouk in Paris, and Suzy in London all offer to let Cassie stay with them in their respective cities for four months.  While she’s there they’ll find her a job and help her pick up the pieces of her life and move on. But most of all, they’ll each offer Cassie the support she needs while she figures out what she really wants most out of life.

Cassie’s plight is a common one in fiction, but I have to say Swan’s book was refreshing even when it did wander into cliché territory. Yes, it’s pretty obvious how some of Cassie’s story is going to play out – especially in the romance department – but I loved her. I really, really loved her. I wanted things to work out for her. And I loved her friends, even when their continued makeovers and makeunders were their own obvious attempts to remake Cassie into mini-me versions of themselves.

Christmas at Tiffany’s is a lighthearted and romantic read, and not – in spite of what the title suggests – a Christmas book at all. But it is 100% sweet and fun and pretty perfect any time of year if you’re looking for a light and heartwarming read.

11/14 Becky LeJeune

CHRISTMAS AT TIFFANY’S by Karen Swan. William Morrow Paperbacks (October 28, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062364104. 592p.

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TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING by John Michael Greer

November 14, 2014

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A book that is a glimpse into the near future of the United States. It is partially a brilliant novel involving both a military and political scenario, but also a glimpse into what may be the future of our country.

The opening indicates a United States that is rapidly running out of oil and oil reserves. Fracking didn’t have the future predicted for it, and other sources dried out. A huge oil reserve is discovered off the coast of Tanzania in Africa and the American president decides that this is the answer to the U.S.’s problems.

Under pretensions of obtaining desired regime change in Tanzania a military attack is ordered against that nation. Tanzania is allied with China, but the erroneous decision that China will not intervene allows the military incursion to proceed. Greer gives a very real description of the events of that attack, and the subsequent intervention of China.

The American army finds that many of it’s vaunted weapon systems are not as designed due to the necessity of kickbacks to Congressmen and Senators in order to get approval for those systems instead of better designs. The result of the war is a major defeat for the United States, and the first instance of an America having to surrender to an enemy. The cost of the war and the end results push the States into a series of revolts against the government and a national movement for secession by some of them from the Federal government.

This segment of the book describes what could be our future based on the political environment currently in practice where politicians are not patriots, but seek and keep office for personal gain only. While Greer is writing a novel, it certainly can be construed as a prediction of a down-sliding of our union based on current trends and the falling away of real patriotism among our citizens and government.

This is a book to read and ponder about and examine our future based on current events. There are central characters that interact and are involved in the action, but the force of the book and it’s message precludes the necessity of fleshing them out. They are people that would evolve in the scenario Greer paints and that suffices.

Very well done, and certainly a must read for readers thinking about what could happen over the next several years to a country that has allowed patriotism to become a dead issue.

11/14 Paul Lane

TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING by John Michael Greer. Karnac Books (November 1, 2014). ISBN: 978-1782200352. 400p.

Comments Off on TWILIGHT’S LAST GLEAMING by John Michael Greer | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Permalink
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THE KILLER NEXT DOOR by Alex Marwood

November 13, 2014

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If you’re a tenant at 23 Beulah Grove it’s likely because you’ve got no other choice. The landlord is unreliable at best and downright criminal at worst, but he’ll take cash and you’re likely to get a room without references. Is it worth it, though?

Collette has been on the run for months and has just returned to England to be close to her dying mother. Beulah Grove is nearby and has an opening thanks to the recent disappearance of a tenant everyone suspects dodged out on the rent. Collette isn’t interested in making friends, she’s not planning to be at Beulah Grove long enough, but even she can’t ignore the things going on in the house. When one roommate is attacked and another becomes entangled in a dangerous deception that could affect them all, Collette can’t help but get involved.

But that’s not the worst of it. The missing tenant at Beulah Grove isn’t missing at all and if Collette isn’t careful, she may be the one to disappear next.

The book begins at the end with just enough information to tease the reader and set them on edge. Marwood then takes the story back to Collette’s beginning to show exactly how she ended up at Beulah Grove in the first place. As the characters are introduced, the killer’s identity is kept pretty brilliantly under wraps even as his twisted methods are revealed.

Six tenants in a rent house with a sleazy landlord would be bad enough. Break-ins, hidden cameras, and a serial killer masquerading as your average, everyday neighbor are about the worst scenarios ever. The Killer Next Door is a renter’s worst nightmare and Marwood’s characters are doomed from the get go! It feels almost wrong to say that I enjoyed reading this one – but only almost.

11/14 Becky LeJeune

THE KILLER NEXT DOOR by Alex Marwood. Penguin Books; Reprint edition (October 28, 2014). ISBN: 978-0143126690. 400p.

Comments Off on THE KILLER NEXT DOOR by Alex Marwood | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Permalink
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